Researchers at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) Mohali have developed a sustainable wastewater treatment system using machine learning enabled PLA-ZnO nanofibers for treating dye-contaminated water from industrial activities.
The Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has developed a new wastewater treatment system that addresses the need for sustainable wastewater treatment, particularly for dye-contaminated water from industrial activities. This system uses machine learning to integrate green-synthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles with biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) nanofibers.
The research team, led by Dr. Aviru Kumar Basu's lab, synthesised ZnO nanoparticles using turmeric extract, where naturally occurring bioactive compounds like curcumin, flavonoids and phenolic compounds acted as reducing and stabilizing agents, avoiding conventional synthesis routes involving harmful reagents. The fabrication of PLA-ZnO nanofibers through electrospinning, produced a porous, high-surface-area and mechanically stable catalytic membrane rather than using ZnO as a freely dispersed powder.
The integration of photocatalysis and piezocatalysis enabled pollutant degradation using both light and mechanical vibrations. The PLA-ZnO nanofibers achieved 98.6% MB and 96.7% CR decolorization within 120 min under combined light and ultrasonic excitation. This new material also demonstrated antibacterial activity, achieving approximately 75% inactivation of bacteria after 6 hours.
Machine learning (ML) was integrated with the experimental study to predict dye-decolorization behaviour from parameters such as wavelength, time, catalyst amount, ultrasonic frequency, light intensity and dye concentration. The developed PLA-ZnO nanofibers can be used for the treatment of wastewater containing persistent organic dyes and microbial contaminants, particularly those associated with textile and industrial effluents for cleaner and safer water.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
